Car-brake



(No Model.)

A. H. KIRKER.

OAR BRAKE.

No. 499,553. Patented June 13, 1893.

w I v Z 'Qffl:

WITNESSES. INVENTOH A TTOHNE Y S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT HOlVARD KIRKER, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,553, dated June 13,1893. Application filed September 5, 1892. Serial No. 445,038. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT HOWARD KIRK- ER, of Avalon, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and ImprovedCar-Brake, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved car brake,which is simple and durable in construction,applicable to all kinds ofcars, and more especially designed for use on heavy cars to powerfullyapply the brake shoes.

The invention consists of two diiferential brake levers, and a linkconnecting the levers with each other.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and thenpointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied;and Fig.2 is a like View of a modified form of the improvement.

The improved car brake is provided with the usual brake beams A and B,carrying the brake shoes 0 and D, respectively, adapted to engage therims of the car-wheels E and E, respectively, so as to brake the latter.The brake beams A and B are pivotally connected with the brake levers Fand F, respectively, pivotally connected with each other at G and G,respectively, by a bar H, or other device arranged below or between thebottom and top bolster I and I, of the car truck. The brake levers F andF are of different lengths and are pivotally connected with each otherat their free ends at F and F respectively with a link L, bent as shownin the drawings so as to move unobstructed over the top bolster I. Ahook K, is pivotally connected with one of the brake levers or with thelink L, as illustrated in the drawings, the said hook K being connectedwith the device for applying the brakes from the end of the car. Thebrake levers F and F are guided on a guide rod J supported on the topbolster I. Now, it will be seen that by making the brake levers F and Ffor one pair of brake beams of different lengths and connecting the sameby the bar H,the shoes 0 and D can be very power-I fullyapplied owing tothe difference in leverage of the said brake levers. When a pull isexerted on the hook K in the direction of the arrow at, then the brakelever F will swing and the bar 1-1 will be shifted in the direction ofthe arrow 12 so that the brake shoe 0 is moved in contact with the WheelE, and the shoe D moved in contact with the wheel E, owing to the pushof the link L on the lever F; the latter then swinging from the point G,as a center.

It is understood that when the power is applied on the hook K the pullon the lever F is augmented by the push of the link L, causing the freeend of the brake lever F to swing in the direction of the arrow 0, sothat the brake shoes 0 and D are both very powerfully applied on thewheels E and E, respectively.

It is further understood that as soon as the brake shoe 0 moves incontact with the wheel, the other brake beam B is moved forwardly in theinverse direction of the arrowb by the link L so that its brake shoe Dis very powerfully applied on the wheel E It is further understood thatby employing connected differential brake levers for operating a pair ofbrake beams, a very high brake power can be applied on the wheels.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A car brake provided with two difierentialbrake levers for connection with a pair of brake beams, substantially asshown and described.

2. A car brake provided with two differential brake levers adapted to beconnected with a pair of brake beams, a bar for pivotally connecting thelevers with each other near the said brake beams, and a link connectingthe free ends of the said levers with each other, substantially as shownand described.

3. A car brake provided with two differential brake levers adapted to beconnected with a pair of brake beams, a bar for pivotally connecting thelevers with each other near the said brake beams, a link connecting thefree ends of the said levers with each other, and means of the saidlevers with each other, and means for supporting the said levers,substantially for actuating the brake levers, substantially IO as shownand described. as shown and described.

4. A car brake provided with two diiferen- 5 tial brake levers adaptedto be connected with ALBERT HOWARD KIRKER' a pair of brake beams, a barfor pivotally con- Witnesses: neeting the levers with each othernear thesaid A. Z. BYERS,

brake beams, a link connecting the free ends 0. Y. MERCER.

